Never Want to Close my Eyes
by N.V.9
Summary: Sasuke goes out of his way to avoid touching people. If he touches them, he can tell how they're going to die, so why didn't he see Naruto's death?


**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Sasuke was never a social little kid and that didn't change as he grew up. He hated for anyone to touch him or talk to him. He even hated when his family touched him. He had a phobia of being touched, but forced himself to accept hugs.

Ever since Sasuke was a little boy, he could remember always feeling and being different. At first he didn't understand why he felt the way he did. At five, what child really thinks about that?

So Sasuke, at five told his older cousin Obito, that he was going to die underwater. He told Obito that he would get caught in the net and never come up.

When Sasuke told Obito this, his cousin laughed it off. He thought it was a joke or a dream that Sasuke had. Sasuke remembered him explaining that, that would never happen because he was afraid of the water.

So Sasuke wrote if off as his imagination going wild. A few days later Obito died. He jumped in trying to save a little girl from drowning, though he was a bad swimmer. He ended up saving her but he never came back up.

Sasuke didn't remember the 'dream' at that time. He forgot about it until he was seven.

At seven he realized why he didn't want to be touched. His mind at such a young age was trying to protect him and he didn't realize it until the day his Uncle Madara died.

Sasuke remembered his oldest Uncle giving him a big hug for his birthday. Sasuke remembered feeling light headed and then it was like he was watching a movie. He knew his uncle was going to die soon. Blinking his eyes to clear his mind, he jumped out of his Uncle's arms and ran to his room. There he hid under his bed.

His family was confused on why he did that as they tried to get him out but he refused. When he went to bed that night, he dreamed of his Uncle Madara. He was walking through the airport, talking on his phone. He was smiling and shaking his head. Sasuke saw him close his phone and laugh in the empty airport. He saw his uncle check in his bag and a while later get on the plane. When the plane was in the air, for two hours, it fell from the sky and crashed.

When Sasuke woke up crying the next morning he called his Uncle and told him not to get on the plane. He begged his Uncle, but his Uncle wouldn't listen. He heard his Uncle laugh and say he had to go.

A few hours later, when he was watching the news, he saw his Uncle's plane.

That was the last time Sasuke ever allowed anyone to really touch him. If they did, he wouldn't sleep for days because once he did sleep he'd 'dream' and then they'd die. If he didn't sleep they'd stay alive.

Over the years he was accidentally touched by strangers as they made to move by him. By teachers that didn't know him or students that wanted to bully him. For every one he'd try to stay awake but after a week of no sleep, his body would collapse and when he woke days later it was too late. That was then, now if he just blinked he'd see it all in a second.

At fifteen Sasuke was better at keeping everyone away or chasing them if they refused to leave him alone. He told people at the school if they wanted to die, touch him. He told teachers the same thing.

Now he had to go to counseling. At least they kept their distance now.

His family was harder to drive away. He would think of anything to chase them off. He hurt them, insulted them, ignored them, and anything else he could think of. Now his mother was hurting because she thought her son didn't love her. Sasuke was sorry she felt that but at least she was alive.

His father looked at him with a cold indifference. He was alive to, so Sasuke didn't mind. He didn't talk to his cousins, uncles, aunts, or anyone else for that matter, but that was okay.

There was only one person he had yet to get rid of and that was his brother Itachi. No matter what he did, Itachi always came back. Itachi refused to go away. Sasuke had thought about running away but he couldn't. He was afraid of what would happen if he did.

So like every morning, Sasuke pulled on his bulky sweater and left the house to go to walk the twenty minutes to school. He didn't want to go to school, but if he stayed home, his brother would insist on tutoring him. He didn't want to risk it. He loved his brother so much he was afraid to lose him.

When the school came into view he braced himself for the looks and the insults. Like clockwork it started. Even if he pushed them away it still hurt to be teased in such a brutal manner.

The students moved back a step. Some pointed and called out names. Others looked away in disgust. As he got closer to the school, the students in front of him quickly changed their paths to try and avoid him.

Making his way to his locker he lowered his eyes to the floor and ignored the people that were still alive because of him. He could touch any one of them and he could tell them how they will die. Sometimes it would be the same day and others it would be years from now.

Sasuke remembered trying to tell one of the students, that he accidentally touched, how he was going to die in hopes of saving him, but the student just called him a freak and walked off. Shaking his head to clear that memory, he wasn't prepared to run into someone.

Freezing Sasuke began to panic. Before he could stop himself, he blinked. He waited for the flash of images to assault him but nothing came. "Nothing." he whispered in shock. Lifting his head he looked into very blue eyes of a student he knew must have been new. "I can't see you."

"Oh man, you're blind and I just ran into you." the blond grimaced. "I'm so sorry-"

"I'm not blind. I can't see you." Sasuke interrupted.

Sasuke saw a look cross the blond's face. Before he could say anything, another voice came out of no where.

"Yo, Naruto, stay away from him, he's a freak." Kiba said pulling Naruto back and turning him away.

"What?" Naruto said letting Kiba lead him away.

"Last year he told Sai, a friend of mine, he was going to die in a car crash at twenty. Sai is now deathly afraid of cars and refuses to get in one. He stopped coming to school and is now being home schooled. His parents put him on some pills that are supposed to calm him down." Kiba explained glaring at Sasuke over his shoulder.

Sasuke could care less about Kiba. His eyes were still on Naruto. He didn't see him die. Why didn't he see Naruto's death?

Over the next few days Sasuke couldn't stop himself from watching the blonde. Even when he tried, his eyes refused to leave Naruto's form.

Then he tested himself to see if it were true. He purposely walked into Naruto six times and each time it was the same. There was nothing but silence. Like a wall that had been created just to keep Sasuke out of his head.

Why was the blonde different? What made him so unique that he could escape death's touch, as he called himself.

"You know, I'm beginning to think I have a stalker." Naruto said appearing out of nowhere. "Do I?"

"Wh-what?" Sasuke blinked and jumped. How did Naruto get close enough to touch if Sasuke was watching him the whole time? He could have sworn Naruto was on the other side of the lunch room.

"I asked if I had a stalker." Naruto grinned as he placed his tray down in front of Sasuke's sacked lunch.

"Who?"

"You." Naruto laughed at Sasuke's confusion. "You've been watching me ever since I crashed into you. If you're angry about that I'm sorry."

"I'm not angry." Sasuke said meeting Naruto's blue eyes. "I'm confused."  
"What about?"  
"You."  
Naruto paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. Slowly he put it back down and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Have you heard the stories... about me?" Sasuke asked looking down at his untouched food.

"That you tell people they are going to die." Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "What about them?"

"They're true." Sasuke whispered.  
"What?"  
"The stories, they're true. If I touch someone, I see them die." Looking up he met bright blue eyes that held no emotion. "But I can't see you."

"You don't see me die?" Naruto asked seriously.  
"Right, every time I ran into you, you were a blank."  
Naruto nodded slowly and pushed his food away. With his elbows on the table he leaned forward. "How many people have you touched?"

"Too many." Sasuke said looking away from his intense stare. "I've tried to save them but none of them listen to me and when they do, they still die."

"I'm not hungry anymore." Naruto said standing up, "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Sasuke asked gathering his things.

"Away from the staring."

Looking around, Sasuke realized the whole school was silent as they looked at Sasuke and Naruto with shock and horror. Lifting his head high, Sasuke glared at everyone that met his gaze all of which quickly looked away. When the door closed behind them, Sasuke let out a breath of relief.

"Man that was intense." Naruto joked leading him down the hallway toward the courtyard. "Hey Sasuke?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Want to be friends?" Naruto asked, a smile in place to show he meant what he said.

"You want to be friends with me? A freak? After all that I told you, you still want to be friends?" Sasuke asked in disbelief. Could this be real?

"Yeah... If you want to, if not, I don't want to force you." Naruto said quietly.

"I'd...love to." Sasuke found himself saying.

"Great!" throwing an arm across Sasuke's shoulder, Naruto said, "We are going to be great friends."

And to Sasuke's shock, they were. Naruto was always beside him, joking and playing around. Making Sasuke feel like a normal teen. Naruto willingly touched him without fear of dying. The blonde even began to stand up for him and make people see that he didn't care what they thought. The best part was that Sasuke never saw Naruto die.

After months of hanging out Sasuke invited Naruto over to his house.

"This is your place?" Naruto whistled, "Man oh man, you got it made."

"It's just a house." Sasuke said pretending like Naruto's praises were nothing. In truth he was excited about showing Naruto his house and his stuff. He wanted Naruto to know him and to see that he wasn't a freak. Even though Naruto had already said the only freak is not yourself but someone else, Sasuke still had his doubts. That maybe Naruto would notice how weird he was when he didn't know how to use a cellphone. He had no reason to use one before. He did have a phone but since he had no friends or contacts that wasn't Itachi, his house, or his parents numbers, all of which Itachi programmed in, Sasuke never had need of his cellphone. Until now. Naruto had joked and showed Sasuke how to use his own phone and was coming over to show him different things he could do with his phone.

Sure Naruto could have showed him at school or at some other place, but Sasuke hated crowds and he really didn't want anyone to know he was stupid when it came to simple technology like cellphones.

"Sasuke how- who is your friend?" Itachi asked coming down the stairs.

"I'm Naruto, Sasuke's friend. Sasuke's told me so much about you." the blonde grinned shaking Itachi's hand. "It's not that shocking that he would befriend me is it?" Naruto asked when Itachi only continued to blink his stunned eyes and failed to close his mouth.

"We'll be up in my room." Sasuke said walking around his brother to the stairs. "Come on Naruto."

"Coming! Nice actually meeting you Itachi." Naruto grinned before following Sasuke. The young raven felt his brother's stare until he moved out of site. "That was weird." Naruto said laughing.  
"It's not often anyone comes to see me." Sasuke said. "This is my room."

"It's... dark." Naruto decided, "And empty... you sure this isn't a spare?"

"I live here so I'm sure it's my room." Sasuke smirked. "I like it this way. There isn't much that catches my attention and it's not cluttered."

"That's because it's boring." Naruto pouted looking around again, his expression hopeful as he tried in vane to find anything.

"It fits me." Sasuke shrugged.

"No... you're not boring, your unique." Naruto said moving to the bed. "Okay where is that evil thing we call a phone?"

"Here."

Hours later Naruto was getting ready to leave. "Okay, we'll go over it more later. You got the basics but there's still a few neat tricks that I want to show you."

"Okay." Sasuke nodded as he walked toward the stairs beside Naruto. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Naruto nodded with his hands in his pockets.

"Do you... know why I can't see you... die?" Sasuke asked.

"What?" Naruto blinked stopping to face Sasuke at the top of the stairs.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that." Sasuke panicked. "Can we just forget that happened and just go on like we normally do?" he pleaded. How could he be such a jerk and ask something so stupid?

"No, it's cool." Naruto said looking toward the front door. Maybe he was getting ready to run. "Ask it again."

"What?" Sasuke blinked.  
"Ask it again."

"Why?"

"I have an answer. Ask it." Naruto said meeting Sasuke's confused eyes.

"Naruto, why can't I see you die?"

"It's because I'm already dead."

Sasuke gasped in shock at the words that Naruto had just spoken. Dead? How was that possible? No one could be dead and still be breathing.

He must have been silent far longer then Naruto deemed enough time. "Shocking, isn't it?" he joked.

"How... Dead... You... You can't be dead." Sasuke whispered shaking his head. There was no way Naruto was dead. It was impossible.

Naruto sighed and sat at the top of the stairs. Holding his chin on his hands he nodded for Sasuke to sit beside him. "I'm not really dead, but I'm not really alive either."

"How is that possible?" Sasuke asked turning his head to run his eyes over Naruto's form. "You can't be both. The dead don't move and the living aren't dead."

"But I am." Naruto forced a smile, his eyes never turning to meet Sasuke's. "I'm a mix of both."

Silence was his answer as Sasuke tried to process what the blonde was saying. Was the blonde pulling his leg? Was he going to shout 'Gotcha!' when Sasuke started to believe him?

Naruto looked as alive as anyone. In fact, he looked more so then most. His hair demanded attention and seemed to have a life of it's own. His eyes screamed at you to notice them and his body was one you couldn't really miss. Naruto was the vision of life.

"Are you a... Vampire?" Sasuke whispered feeling very stupid.

"Vampire?" Naruto turned to look at him, a grin spreading across his tanned face. "You're joking, right?" the blonde said and when Sasuke said nothing he lost his grin. "You aren't."

"Are you or aren't you?" Sasuke blushed looking away. It was the first thing that came to mind. Vampires were alive but dead... At least he thought they were. He really wasn't an expert on vampires so wasn't sure if it were true or not.

"No." Naruto said. "I am not, nor have I ever been a vampire. Have you seen me trying to drink your blood? Besides aren't vampires afraid of the sun or something?"

"They burn." Sasuke said, again not knowing if it were true or not.

"Well, I've been in the sun."

"Some kind of ghoul or ghost then." Sasuke frowned meeting Naruto's gaze with his own.

"No and no." Naruto sighed. "Nor am I a zombie, witch come back to life, warlock, shifter anything, or some kind of freak accident."

"Then what are you?" Sasuke asked feeling more confusion. "An angel? Demon? The freakin' born again king?"

"None. Although, one of them is close to what I am." Naruto frowned. "I guess you can say I'm a reaper."

"Reaper? Like the grim reaper?" Sasuke scoffed. "Right."

"It's true... Well not the grim part. I think I'm a pretty happy guy, or so they tell me." Naruto smirked.

"You seriously want me to believe you're a reaper?" Sasuke lifted his brow.

Nodding, Naruto said, "Yeah."

"So what? You've come for me or something?" Sasuke rolled his eyes and when Naruto said nothing he turned his gaze quickly to the blonde. "You have come for me." he whispered in shock.

"Yes and no." Naruto answered as he took a breath.

"That doesn't answer anything." Sasuke whispered as fear spread through his body.

"Let me tell you a story." Naruto quietly said. "I'm not the only reaper. There are thousands of us. Each one of us is in charge of collecting five hundred thousand souls. Once we get that many, we are rewarded and offered eternal rest. Some of us take it and some of us don't. I didn't. Instead, I chose to find the rogue reapers."

"Rogue?"

"Reapers that lose themselves over the years and decide they want to be human. We don't feel anything. No pain, no fear, no love, or hate. But if we spend enough time watching the humans some of us began to want. Those that do, are removed from the human world until they can regain their senses and lose any emotions they gained through the contact."

"How long does it take to collect so many souls?" Sasuke asked intrigued.

"Too long. Reapers are not how people expect us to be. They say there is only one of us but that is wrong. They say we just touch someone but again that is wrong. Every person has it's time limit. We are just there to grab the souls when they leave the body. We're messengers of sorts. We wait with the dying and when they take their last breath we are there to capture the souls and take them to the ones that will decided where they go. We can't force death or wish it. Reapers are caught in the middle of the living and the dead. We have to be in able to travel back and forth. Each Reaper is given a list of souls that they are to watch for and escort back to our realm."

"So how far does the list extend? How many years?"

"They are all spread through thousands of years. Many reapers will never finish their list for a thousand more years to come. Some are still waiting for their souls to call to them since the beginning of time."

"What about the reapers that get them all, you said they move on. Does that mean there is one less reaper?"

"No, for each reaper gone, another is created." Naruto answered.  
"When did you finish your list?"

"Four hundred years ago." Naruto answered honestly. "It was an old man that once ruled the biggest nation of all time before it was split to pieces."

"You said you came for me." Sasuke said getting back onto the earlier subject.  
"Came yes, but not for you. Not exactly." Naruto turned to meet his gaze. "I came for what's inside of you."

"Inside of me?" Sasuke frowned.

"You are hosting a reaper, Sasuke." Naruto answered him.

"What?"

"I was sent out almost two decades ago, sixteen almost seventeen years to be exact, to catch a rogue that escaped and ran to the human world. Because we can't exist in this place in our forms, rogues tend to jump into new born babies. They grow and form with their host and cause them to do strange things. Many host with rogues in them are usually believed to be psychics. They see things, do things, and feel things that can't be explained. Some times they can live a normal life but for the most part, they go insane. A lot of times they kill themselves or do something to get them killed before they are supposed to die. When this happens, it creates a hole that isn't safe for either world. This hole is like a doorway from both worlds. Sometimes humans end up there and throw off the balance that we try to keep. Other times things that should ever touch the human surface come here."

"Did you enter a human baby?"

"No, this body was created when I became a hunter. When I don't use it, it fades from the world. When I need it, it appears when I jump over." Naruto explained. "Like I did to find the one within you."

"I have a rogue inside of me?" Sasuke whispered looking down at himself. "That's why I see people die?"

"Yes." Naruto nodded. "Because of the rogue, you see what you see."

"How is that possible?" Sasuke gulped unable to look away from his body. "Why me?"  
"Luck of the draw." Naruto shrugged. "You were born on the day it fled here. I spent almost seventeen years, going through each child born on that day to try and find it. And now I have."

"What's going to happen to me?" Sasuke asked fearfully. "Am I going to die?"

"I'm going to take it back." Naruto stood and looked down at him. "I had to be sure it was in you and then when I knew for certain, I had to make sure you wouldn't go insane when the time came."

"So you were only pretending to be my friend."

"No. I have never had a friend. I find that I enjoyed your company very much. It will hurt me when I lose you, but when I return back to where I come from, my emotions will fade as it is meant to. Only when I come back to look for another rogue, will I remember what our friendship felt like." Naruto admitted.

"What do you need me to do?" Sasuke asked looking up at Naruto.

"I need you to die." Naruto said.

Fear was the first thing Sasuke felt. Terror, was an odd thing, he decided a second later as he stood and took a few steps back. Whatever color he may have had in his face washed away with the growing terror. His mouth went dry and his heartbeat stuttered and seemed to stop all together. Yes terror was odd indeed.

Naruto, his only friend, was going to kill him. He hadn't even gotten a chance to say good-bye to his brother, his mom, his dad, his family. Out of all of them, it hurt more to know that he would never again hear Itachi's voice. He'd never had the chance to ever hug his brother. To ever reach out one hand and simply touch the one that loved him through all of the rejection. He'd never get to say 'I love you' to his brother. The last time he had whispered those words was before his Uncle Madara died. Itachi always told him he loved him, but Sasuke never said anything back.

He loved his mom and his dad, but it would hurt more to leave his brother. Would his brother be okay without him? Would he move on easily like all the others?

"Sasuke?" Naruto said taking a step toward him. Just his name coming from the blonde's lips made him jump and take a breath. He wanted to run and hide in his room, but he couldn't move anymore. "Sasuke?"

"I can't." Sasuke admitted as he lowered his head. "I don't want to die."

"It's the only way to take the rogue." Naruto explained moving to his side and placing an arm on his shoulder.  
"What about the other rogues, you said they live normal lives and nothing happens." Sasuke asked desperately. "You said if the host dies a hole would be created and things will go through the doorway!"

"They may live normal lives, but is our job to bring them back anyway." Naruto said. "If we take the lives of the host, no hole will form. It's only when the host takes its own life will a doorway open."

"Naruto, please, if you are my friend you wouldn't do this."

"I'm sorry Sasuke." Naruto whispered as he looked away, his face showing how much it hurt him to do it. "But it has to be done. If you go on like this, then one day you will take your life. How many times can you see death and not go crazy? How many times can you try to warn people and have them ignore you? It'll get to you like it has the others. They may not have carried the same gift that you do, but it gets to them all. To keep the rogue is dangerous. Do you know why a portal is open?"

"You said because the host took it's life." Sasuke said quietly as he wrung his hands together.

"Yes and in the process it kills the rogue. When a host dies, so does the rogue. If it doesn't get out in time it's body is taken back into the universe and any power it has, will expand. All rouges are strong reapers. They have lived millions plus years. They accumulate power and when they are killed off like that it explodes in one place. Too much power like that is an attraction to other things. With just a push it becomes a door. Rogues are the reason demons and other things get through. Not because people summon them or something evil, but because the rogues brought them. Rogues are dangerous within a host. Everyday there is a chance of dying. Sometimes we are too late and people die. Sometimes people get over to our side and become something else. The only way to kill a rogue is for one of our kind to take out the host. We can contain it and take it back."

"But the host dies!" Sasuke said and pushed Naruto away. Moving toward the stairs he tried to make a run for it but Naruto caught him around the waist and dragged him back. "I don't want to die! Please don't kill me!" he screamed as he struggled to break free. No matter what he did, Naruto never let him go. "Please Naruto! Please!"

"Sasuke-"

"I'm scared." Sasuke admitted as tears began to form. "I don't want to die. I'm scared, please don't kill me. I know I'm not the nicest person. I know I've been cruel to people, but please just, please."

"Do you trust me?" Naruto asked when Sasuke went limp in his arms. "Sasuke, do you trust me?"

"You're my only friend." was his quiet answer.

"As you are mine." Naruto said as he slowly loosened his hold. Sasuke didn't try to run or break free. There was no use. Naruto would only catch him again.

He supposed this was his punishment. His visions saw death and, through them, people died. "I'm sorry." he softly whispered around a sob. "I didn't want them to die, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Naruto said as Sasuke fell to his knees. Moving to kneel beside him, he went on, "Every vision is because of the rogue. Not you. You are innocent."

"Then why am I dying?" Sasuke asked through his tears as he looked at Naruto's bright blue eyes. "Why am I dying for it?"

"To save both worlds." Naruto said as he ran a hand over Sasuke's cheek to wipe away the tears. "Do you trust me?"

For a long time Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes and said nothing. Finally he took a breath and said, "Yes."

"Okay." Naruto smiled and stood. Holding a hand out, he waited for Sasuke to clasp it with his own and pulled him up. "Listen closely." at Sasuke's nod, he went on, "Everything you have seen in your visions will fade away. This will be like a bad dream to you. Soon everyone will forget about this. Do you understand?" at Sasuke's nod, Naruto's smile widen. "Good, you are a true friend Sasuke, never will I be so lucky to have another such as you. I would have no other for my closest friend."

"You're my best friend." Sasuke whispered as he bit his lip and met Naruto's gentle eyes. "You'll always be my best friend."

"As you will be mine." the blonde reaper answered. "Even long after you forget about me, you'll always be mine."

"Naruto?"

"Yes?"

"Does dying hurt?" Sasuke asked fearfully.

"Only a little." Naruto promised as he rested his hands on his shoulder. "But the living feel more pain."

"Okay." Sasuke whispered and gasped as Naruto pushed him. In slow motion he saw Naruto getting farther away. His smile never changing. His eyes seemed to glow a brighter blue as everything but the reaper disappeared. Even if Sasuke wanted to, he couldn't scream. He couldn't do anything but look into Naruto's gaze. At the last second he closed his eyes and said good-bye.

It hurt, everything hurt. It hurt to breathe. To move. To even think. Why did he hurt so much? Why was everything so painful?

With a groan of pain, he tried to see what was going on. At first he saw nothing but blurs. Then slowly everything came into focus. Everything was white. Where was he?

"Sasuke?" Someone whispered his name to the right. Turning slowly, Sasuke made out his brother's form before his features came into focus. Taking a breath to get rid of the dizziness, Sasuke opened his mouth but nothing came out. "Can you hear me Sasuke?" Itachi asked running a cool hand over his heated skin. Sasuke moved his face closer to his brother's palm. So this is what Itachi felt like. His hand was very soft. It felt very nice to feel his brother's touch.

"'Chi? Wha' happen'?" he got out a moment later with some difficulty.

"You fell down the stairs and hit your head. Mother found you when she came home and called 911." Itachi whispered quietly as he moved out of the way to let Sasuke see his sleeping parents. "You've been in a coma for a few weeks now."

"Hurt." Sasuke whispered.

"I would think so," Itachi smiled, "You broke a few bones and gained a few battle wounds. The doctors are surprised you're still alive. Father told him it's because you're a Uchiha." Itachi said as a tear fell down his face. "You had a high chance of dying but I knew you wouldn't. I prayed you wouldn't." his brother went on as more tears fell. "I'm glad you're okay Sasuke."

"Love you." Sasuke whispered as he fell back asleep. The last thing he saw was Itachi kissing his forehead and whispering back those words.

When he woke up a few days later, his mother had sobbed into his bed as his father hugged him as gently as he could and cried into his hair. Itachi held his hand and refused to let it go but Sasuke wasn't complaining since he held his hand just as tightly. He had never realized how much he deprived himself of another human. His family was shocked that he didn't push them away but said little of it. When his parents went to bring them all something to eat, leaving him with Itachi as they both sat in the bed and watched some tv, his brother turned to him. With one arm resting over Sasuke's shoulders, he smiled. "You're different."  
"I know." Sasuke nodded as he tilted his head up to meet his brother gaze, with a grin in place he went on, "Dying does that to you."

"Hmmm, well if you ever try dying before me again, I'll kill you myself and save death the honor of wringing your pale little neck." Itachi threatened as he pulled Sasuke closer to his side.

"Okay big brother." Sasuke's grinned widen as Itachi kissed his forehead and turned back to watch tv.

A shadow shifting at his window brought Sasuke's attention toward the clear glass. It took a second to see what it was that caught his sight but when Sasuke looked farther off into the distance, he saw his best friend.

Naruto stood all alone in the same clothes Sasuke had last seen him in. With a grin in place, the blonde lifted one hand before turning and walking away. In three steps he had disappeared completely.

"Bye Naruto." Sasuke said softly for the last time. He'd never see the blonde again, but that was okay. To know Naruto had saved him and taken away his curse... Sasuke would forever be grateful to the reaper that had changed his life. Naruto would always be his best friend and Sasuke would have it no other way.

"Did you say something?" Itachi asked as he flipped through channels.

"Nothing," Sasuke said before taking the remote.

"Hey-"

"Injured teen gets the remote." he said pointing at the cast on his arm and the one on his leg.

"Very well, but you better not watch something beneath me." Itachi said rolling his eyes and leaning back. Seconds later, he cursed as Sasuke grinned while put it on cartoons. "Sasuke what did I just tell you!"

"I don't know, I didn't hear you." Sasuke said innocently as he smiled at his parents when they walked back in. "What did you say?"

"Wait until you're better." Itachi promised as he glared at the little cartoons running across the screen. Nodding Sasuke leaned against his brother and closed his eyes. Life could only get better now.

Thank you Naruto, where ever you are and where ever you go, thank you.


End file.
